Hat pad head protection

ABSTRACT

A padded insert that fits into the crown of a cap to protect a wearer&#39;s head from dangerous impacts to the top of the head. The insert can be round or square, and can have adhesive backing or be sewn into the cap.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/941,388 filed Feb. 18, 2014, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “Hat Pad Head Protection,” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same were set forth in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of hats, and more specifically to the field of protective inserts for hats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art has put forth several designs for hat protective inserts. Among these are:

U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,272 to Michael Green and Cliff Zatz describes a protective insert adapted to convert a standard baseball cap into a protective head guard while maintaining the cap's desired attributes such as comfort and stability. In combination with the baseball cap, this protective insert protects a wearer from head injuries caused by impact force, but also has attributes of being stable, lightweight and comfortable so it is more easily wearable than conventional baseball helmets during intense activity for extended periods.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,512 to Mary Lynne Blair describes a protective sports hat insert device. The device is a molded, compound insert utilizing reinforced fibers as a preferred embodiment for an outer shell. Unreinforced fibers are a secondary choice with either a flexible inner shell or a rigid inner shell utilizing high density foam or an air management system with slits or holes punctured along the top. The shells are hemispherical and have a removable cloth liner to add comfort. Resilient spacers provide comfort and a better fit. A retention strap secures the device to the head. An identification decal denotes the hat is a safety approved device and visibly identifies the wearer for safety from oncoming traffic. When the outer insert shells and the inner shells along with the cloth liner are placed inside an existing hat, some extra protection and comfort is provided to one's head while maintaining the outward appearance of an existing sports hat.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,026 to Eugene E. McManus describes a hat with an adjustable headband. The hat contains a safety liner which includes a lower edge received in the headband. The safety liner has an adjustment means for allowing the length of the lower edge to be reduced in response to a circumferentially applied force of the headband. The safety liner includes cutout sections and is designed to partially encircle the head of a wearer. A large cutout is provided for location at the rear of the head of a wearer.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a line of padded inserts that is adhered or integrated to the crowns of baseball sports caps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative top down view showing a sports baseball cap with a top centered metal button without a protective pad.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative top down view showing a sports baseball cap with the top centered metal button covered with a circular or round protective pad.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative top down view showing a sports baseball cap with the top centered metal button covered with a square protective pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Inventions are always a product of vision and creativity whether they are world changing inventions like cars and computers or everyday conveniences like pump hairsprays, cordless tools and resealable soda bottles. New inventions like a cell phone change a person's life style, making communication more convenient and accessible virtually anywhere. Other inventions such as a snow scraper and brush combine two already existing inventions into an improved embodiment, reducing clutter in our lives and making a daily winter chores much easier. Often necessity combined with a little creativity is the underlying motivator for an invention. Most inventions fill a relatively small need or perform a specialized limited function. If that need is shared by a sufficient number of consumers, an invention has a great potential for success.

The present invention, hereinafter referred to as the Hat Pad Head Protection, is a line of padded inserts to be placed on the crowns of baseball cap style hats. The Hat Pad Protection provides a wearer with a simple and effective means of protecting the top of the head of the wearer from injury when they accidentally bump their head on a hard object. The Hat Pad Head Protection is a circular or square pad having an adhesive backing, wherein the pad is placed directly in the center of the cap's crown over the exposed metal button that keeps the sections of the cap in place. Alternatively the pad can be sewn into the cap. Fabricated in padded cotton or other fabric material, the Hat Pad Protection is available as an aftermarket product to be adhered to the cap manually or sewn on to the cap at point of manufacture. The Hat Pad Head Protection is manufactured in an array of styles and designs including sports logos and company monikers such as breweries.

FIG. 1 shows the inside of a cap without the protective insert of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the inside of a cap with a round or circular protective insert 12.

FIG. 3 shows the inside of a cap with a square protective insert 14.

Simply constructed and extremely effective in application, using the Hat Pad Head Protection is simple and straightforward. A user secures the adhesively backed Hat Pad Protection to the center of a baseball cap's interior. Donning the hat in normal fashion, the user goes about their regular routine. If the wearer suddenly stands up and strikes the top of their head on an open cabinet door or enters a room with a surprisingly low ceiling, the Hat Pad Head Protection is able to absorb the impact. User friendly, the Hat Pad Head Protection is replaced as often as needed.

A padded insert which fits directly on the center of a baseball cap's crown, the present invention ensures that annoying and even dangerous impacts to the top of the head are absorbed sufficiently. The Hat Pad Head Protection provides an optimal helmet whether one is on the job, tooling underneath a car or attending to home improvement tasks. The present invention is highly functional for one is recovering from a head injury as the Hat Pad Head Protection prevents potential exacerbation of an existing trauma. Complimentary to fashionable baseball caps, the Hat Pad Head Protection is a non-cumbersome accessory that is comfortable to wear without compromising the appearance of the hat.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 

1. A padded insert that fits to the inside of the crown of a cap, comprising: a padded pad wherein the pad is placed directly inside the center of a cap's crown over an exposed metal button that keeps the sections of the cap in place.
 2. The padded insert of claim 1, fabricated in padded cotton or other fabric material.
 3. The padded insert of claim 2 wherein the insert is round.
 4. The padded insert of claim 2 wherein the insert is square.
 5. The padded insert of claim 3, wherein the insert further comprises adhesive backing for attachment to the inside of a cap.
 6. The padded insert of claim 4, wherein the insert further comprises adhesive backing for attachment to the inside of a cap.
 7. The padded insert of claim 3, wherein the insert is sewn into the inside of a cap.
 8. The padded insert of claim 4, wherein the insert is sewn into the inside of a cap. 